Self-acting mule



N.PETF.RS. PHOTO-LITHOGRAPHER. WASHINGTON. D C.

UNITED STATES PATENT QFFICE.

JNO. HARRIS, OF LAWRENCE, MASSACHUSETTS.

SELF-ACTING MULE.

I Specification of Letters Patent No. 13,752, dated November 6, 1855.

To all whom it may concern: A

Be it known that I, JornT HARRIS, of Lawrence, in the county of Essex and State of Massachusetts, have invented Improved Machinery for Moving the Carriage of a Self-Acting Mule for Spinning Yarn; and I do hereby declare that the same is fully described and represented in the following specification and the accompanying drawings, of which- Figure l, denotes a top view of said mechanism; Fig. 2, a side elevation of it;l .Fig 3, a vertical and longitudinal section of it; Fig. i, an end view of it; Fig. 5, is a side view of the eccentric gear to be. hereinafter described.

In specifying my invention I have not deemed it necessary to exhibit the carriage and main operative parts of a mule, the machinery constituting my improvement being applied to the endless chain by which such carriage is usually put in mot-ion or run in and run out. I have therefore merely represented such endless chain, and my improved mechanism by which its movements in both directions are produced and controlled or regulated.

In the drawings above mentioned A, exhibits the endless chain sustained by and working around two sprocket wheels B, and C, fixed respectively upon two shafts D and E, arranged parallel to one another and within a framework F, the said endless chain, when used being applied in the usual way to the carriage of the mule. Above the chain there is arranged another shaft G (see Figs. l and 3), and carrying on its outer end a gear, H, and extending through a barrel gear, I,-such barrel gear is a cylinder fluted on its curved surface, or provided with long cogs and made to rotate freely upon the shaft, G, and barrel gear, I, there is a clutch K, by which the gear may be clutched to the shaft as occasion may require. The sliding part a, of such clutch is moved longitudinally on the shaft and toward or away from the fixed portion, a', by a forked lever, turning 'on a fulcruin, c, and jointed atits lower end to rod or bar, d, whose other end is affixed to a collar, f, fastened upon a horizontal rod, L, the whole being arranged as seen in Figs. l and 3.

Operating in connection with the barrel gear I above described, is an eccentric gear M fixed upon a shaft N, and arranged as lower end there is attached another bevelgear S, which engages with the barrel gear, T, fixed upon the shaft E hereinbefore mentioned. On said shaft, E, there is a clutch, U, by which a bevel gear, V, may be clutched to the shaft or unclutclied therefrom as circumstances may require, the sliding part of said clutch being operated by a bent shipper or lever, IV, which turns horizontally upon a fulcrum, 7i', and is jointed to the slide rod, L, hereinbefore mentioned. The bevel gear, V, meshes into another bevel gear, X, fixed upon a shaft, Y, which carries on its outer end a spur gear, Z, of the same size and number of teeth as the gear H hereinbefore mentioned. A pinion, i, fixed upon a horizontal driving shaft 7c, see Figs. l, S and 4L, engages with the spur gear, H, and wit-h a similar connecting gear, Z, which engages with the gear, Z, hereinbefore mentioned. On the rod L, there is a slider, N which has a set screw, it, by which it may be fastened at any desirable position on the rod. Enveloping the rod, L, and resting against the said slider, M', is a helical buffer spring, 0, against which and on thev rod a collar, 29, is placed-see Fig. 3.

Then the above described machinery is in operat-ion, the shaft, 7c, is to have a continuous rotation in one direction. In consequence thereof the two gears X and H, and their respective shafts, Y, and, Gr, will be turned contrary ways. Then t-he bevel gear H is clutched to the shaft E such shaft will be rotated in one direction and with a regular movement and-so as to produce a corresponding movement of the endless chain A. It is during this movement of the endless chain, that the carriage of the mule is run out and the spinning of the yarn effected. vWhen the chain is moved in the opposite direction, its ino-vement is variable, or, in'other words, it has first imparted to it a slow motion, and this while the faller of the mule is descending on the yarn. Next the chain has a quicker motion which continues until the carriage has nearly completed its inward course. Finally, and during the remainder of the movementof the carriage, the chain has a continual and quick decreasing speed, the object of which is well known. The said last three movements of the chain are effected principally by the barrel gear I and the peculiai1 eccentric cam herein before mentioned. The barrel gear having a regular rotary motion turns the eccentric gear with first a constantly decreasing speed, and next a constantly increasing speed. Affixed to the endless chain A, is a slider S, which slides upon the rod L, and is alternately carried in contact with the collar f, and so as to produce the alternate shifting or movements of the clutches the barrel gear being unclutched with its shaft while the smaller gear on the shaft E is clutched to said shaft E. Vhen the smaller bevel gear is unclutched from the shaft E, the barrel gear isf/5a for producing a regular backing off movement of the carriage, machinery not only for givinga slow motion to it, during the first part of its running` in movement, or while t-he faller is descending on the yarn, a quicker movement afterward, or while the carriage is running in, but inally a slower movement decreasing to completion of the extent of inward movement of the carriage, but,

What I do claim is The peculiar combination herein before- JOHN HARRIS.

Witnesses E. J. SHERMAN, THos. WRIGHT. 

